PNG Western Governor Ati Wobiro charged for K7 million misappropriation

WESTERN Governor Ati Wobiro has been charged with 12 counts to defraud and misappropriate a total of K7 million from the Western provincial government.
Wobiro, 55, from Wipim, South Fly district, Western, was charged with four counts each of abuse of office and conspiracy to defraud, and misappropriation of K7 million yesterday.
National Fraud and Anti-Corruption Unit police officers detained him at the Boroko police station in Port Moresby.
Wobiro is alleged to have signed a memorandum of understanding with Norman May on behalf of Fly Care Foundation in 2013 to use a percentage of funds from his provincial support improvement programme (PSIP), district services improvement programme (DSIP) and local level government services improvement programme (LLGSIP) funds to be paid into Fly Care Foundation. May was the sole signatory to that account.
Police allege that a joint provincial budget priorities committee, comprising three open MPs for South Fly, Middle Fly and North Fly, was convened on Nov 21, 2013, to approve projects. The MPs denied attending the meeting.
Investigations revealed that many of the projects for which funding was channelled through the Fly Care Foundation had not been implemented.
May, of Fly Care Foundation and May Fuel Distributors, was arrested on Jan 22 and faces similar charges. The National